Remarkable Person: Robert Weinstein

William DeShazer/Chicago Tribune

"When I was leaving for college, my father told me, 'I want you to go and study hard, but I want you to have fun also,' " Robert Weinstein said. "That kind of mix in your life is really important. I think about that when I think about keeping my life in balance. And I told my kids the same thing."

"When I was leaving for college, my father told me, 'I want you to go and study hard, but I want you to have fun also,' " Robert Weinstein said. "That kind of mix in your life is really important. I think about that when I think about keeping my life in balance. And I told my kids the same thing." (William DeShazer/Chicago Tribune)

William Hageman, Tribune reporter

Some career changes seem to follow a natural progression. A law enforcement officer might go to work for the FBI. A professional athlete might step into the broadcasting booth. Robert Weinstein made a much sharper turn.

After two decades as a successful investment banker in Chicago, he left his job at Continental Partners 12 years ago and started a home building business. Birchwood Builders does one or two high-end custom homes a year, mostly on the North Shore.

To most people, it would seem like a huge leap from banking to bricks. But it wasn't that radical a departure for Weinstein, who was leaning in that direction even while growing up in Westport, Conn.

"I do remember when I was a little kid, I wanted to be a carpenter," he says. "I had a little workbench in the garage, and I'd hammer things together. I remember my mother taking me to the lumber yard one time and buying me a box of scrap wood. I'd watch houses go up in the neighborhood. I always had an interest in building things, fixing things."

But a career in building wasn't seen as a "professional" career, so Weinstein went with finance.

After more than 20 years, though, the handcuffs chafed:

"It was getting a little bit old. It was very demanding, in terms of travel. Two day-trips to California a week. So eventually I got burned out, and it was time for a change."

Weinstein's wife, Nancy, and two daughters, now 19 and 21, made the transition to a new life as well.

"There has been a fundamental change in our lifestyle," he says. "People don't make that much money building a custom building."

The satisfaction, though, makes up for it.

"I work more hours as a builder than I did as a banker, but it's more fun. It's not like work. I have things I have to do, but … . It's not like work."

Q. How does your new career parallel your old one?

A. Customer service, attention to detail, lots of managing. I thought those were the attributes I had in the banking business, and (things) I'd do well in building custom homes. Being prepared to meet a high level of expectations on the part of the client is what I think I bring to it. A housing purchase is the biggest investment usually in somebody's life. It has to be done carefully. The service they get and quality should reflect the magnitude of what they're doing.

Q. What's your greatest attribute?

A. Being able to bring an intense focus to something. Just completely immersing myself in, in my case, the building of a house, every nook and cranny. How to improve the house, new ideas.

Q. What's your greatest fault?

A. It's the same one. To grow a business you need to think more broadly, more globally. I develop this focus on what I'm doing and I would benefit from being able to get away from that for a time and look at other things.

Q. Do you have a most meaningful possession?

A. The possession that probably had the biggest impact on me was a book I read before I got into building. It was "House" by Tracy Kidder. He was there (for the construction of a house) all the time, talking to all the participants, watching what was going on, watching all the arguments, meeting with them privately. It read like a novel. I like to think it's required reading for anyone who's going to build a custom house. I've always been interested in all the technical aspects, but that book opened me up to the other side of building.

Q. Who is your hero?

A. The person I admire most is Winston Churchill. He came back from being kicked out of government to leading the country, and giving the country such inspiration and confidence.

Q. If the 57-year-old Robert Weinstein was giving advice to the 15-year-old Robert Weinstein, what would it be?

A. It would be to follow your dream. Do what you want to do in your life. If you are able to enjoy what you're doing in your adult life, that's a blessing.

Q. What kind of music do you like?

A. I listen mostly to classical. I'm not an aficionado, I don't know a lot about it. But I like it.

Q. What's your favorite movie?

A. "Cool Hand Luke."

Q. Do you have a favorite tool?

A. My tool belt, because that's what I use when I'm building.

Q. What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

A. When I was leaving for college, my father told me, "I want you to go and study hard, but I want you to have fun also." That kind of mix in your life is really important. I think about that when I think about keeping my life in balance. And I told my kids the same thing.